The Xavier Network returns renewed to face-to-face

Taking advantage of the meeting of the European social sector last April at Loyola, the Xavier Network held its first face-to-face meeting after the pandemic period.

Long gone is that March 2020 when we had to cancel our meeting in Switzerland, not knowing that over the next two years we would have no less than six virtual meetings to ensure coordination and work with the main networks of the Society of Jesus during the COVID crisis.

Being a face-to-face meeting after such a long time of virtuality, the agenda was marked by a deep and honest dialogue on the institutional situation of each of the 14 member organizations of the network. It is difficult to express how important these dialogues are in which it is easy to identify challenges and critical processes common to many of the organizations that then allow us to propose and work on lines of strengthening or network projects that can also start from our vulnerabilities or processes of change.

It is important to note that this was the first meeting in which Magis Americas participated as a member, represented by its Executive Director, Nate Radomski, after being formally admitted two months ago. In this way, the United States becomes part of the Xavier Network and with it the JCCU Conference complements its presence, which traditionally has been done through Jesuit Canada International.

Another key topic of the meeting was the update and work on the Ukraine Emergency in which the Emergency Team of the Xavier Network is coordinating the response of the Society’s global solidarity together with JRS Europe. The Xavier Network management was able to review the work teams, the recruitment campaign, the medium-term perspectives, and we were even able to connect with Pilar Lopez Dafonte, Xavier Network emergency technician who was at that time in Romania as part of the need assessment that together with JRS we have carried out in the area.

The other major session dealt with the work of the network’s project team, focused on the management and coordination of several common projects and three strategic projects. We call common projects those in which our work overlaps and we can make synergies quite easily avoiding duplications, simplifying exchanges, follow-ups and reports for the whole network (South Sudan, AJAN, Lock Manch, Strengthening of Development Offices…)

And we call strategic projects, those through which we support as a network to networks at conference level where we want to put our transversal efforts with funding, strengthening, volunteering, advocacy, communications… (PanAmazonia, JRS SCO, Fe y Alegría Africa)

The meeting also had time for various topics among which we worked on the protocol for the protection of minors and vulnerable people, the support and accompaniment of the Justice in Mining network, the relationship with the process of Development Offices and the review of our financial statements in an aggregate form that year after year gives us an interesting picture of the evolution of the world of the mission and development of the Society of Jesus. Our next meeting will be in Paris in October.